


I am happy to be here

by radialDespair



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games)
Genre: Abuse, Circles - Freeform, Fantasy Racism, Gen, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Mages, Mages and Templars, Templars, drabble i guess, its short as fuck, self gaslighting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-11
Updated: 2018-02-11
Packaged: 2019-03-16 14:56:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13638546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/radialDespair/pseuds/radialDespair
Summary: Valerie is a mage. Valerie is perfectly happy in the Circle.





	I am happy to be here

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so, this is theoretically a response to someone who wanted a fic where a mage was perfectly happy in the circle, but I don't like that premise, or the implications thereof, so instead I did this.

Valerie woke up at 6:30, as the templars demanded of the mages in her circle. She enjoyed her 10 minutes allotted time in the bathroom, having time to relieve herself and get moderately clean today. She got to breakfast in time to get a bread roll. Christopher was beaten by a templar when he asked for more food. Valerie didn’t look up, just nibbled on her bread roll. Christopher shouldn’t have complained.

Valerie went to the library after breakfast, where one of the templars followed her around. She knew that if she did the wrong thing, he would immediately stab his sword through her neck, killing her instantly, as was right. She found the book she had been reading the week before, on the application of minor enchantments to clothing. 

Just before lunch, Josephine grew frustrated with the templar following behind her as she set up her ritual to study the fade, and turned to shout at him for smudging her chalk markings. He cut her down where she stood. Valerie privately nodded. Josephine had grown emotionally erratic whilst performing magic; he had just been doing his job!

When she got to lunch; a thin broth, Valerie noted that Christopher was nowhere to be found. There were whispers that he had complained about the templar who beat him, and been unwise enough to take it to the Knight Commander. Foolishness; it had been his own silly fault, the fool boy.

After lunch, Valerie returned to the library. In the Library was Sal, who flinched noticeably whenever Knight Templar Steven came anywhere near her. Valerie didn’t know why she did that, though she thought it betrayed a nervous disposition, and that Sal should be suggested for the Rite of Tranquility. Silly little rabbit.

At dinner, Christopher was serving the food, with the sunburst of the Chantry on his forehead. Tranquility, then; Valerie nodded. That was reasonable.

That night, after her 10 minute bathroom allocation, as she lay in her bed, pulling the covers up and trying not to sob too loudly, Valerie repeated her little mantra.

“I am completely happy in the circle. We are given food, clean beds and a library. I am completely happy in the circle.”


End file.
